The mouth of the south has a name and it is Leon Smith. If we were children on a playground, taunts of, “Liar,liar, pants on fire” would be aimed directly at him.
In question and still in the news is an ancient Native American Indian mound. Evidence abounds that this area was once a rich, proud and thriving Indian village.
Despite what Leon (Tweedle Dee) told the Anniston Star last year that the mound would be left alone and not used for commercial development. He contradicted himself in an article that appeared on the New York Times web site on March 12,2010. Reckon he thinks us hillbillies in Bammy don’t read and would be too dumb to notice a Sizzler where an ancient Indian mound once stood.
He stated his plans to demolish the stone pile and to erect a hotel, restaurant or maybe a health clinic.
“It’s going to be real pretty”, he was quoted as saying.
This all began when the city of Oxford and the merry band of morons who run it, decided to use the dirt under the mound as fill dirt for a Sam’s Club that was to be built at the nearby Oxford Exchange.
The city commissioned a study of the mound in question that was conducted by Robert Clouse, an archaeologist at the University of Alabama.
In the first report he concluded the mound was man made. The second report by Clouse after the you know what began hitting the old fan states in his opinion it was the result of “natural forces” and isn’t culturally significant. An opinion that experts around Alabama and the Alabama Historical Commission disagree with.
Earlier this year, Harry Holstein a professor of archaeology at Jacksonville State University reported that an earthen mound located across the street from the mound was gone. A face that Smith passed off by saying it was not gone and was still there if you knew where to look. Okay, take me there and SHOW ME.
In the days following these reports, another little tid bit came to light. On January 8,2010 ancient human remains were discovered at the multi million dollar sports complex site. It was NOT reported to the proper authorities.
Meanwhile, as of now, construction has been halted by the Corps of Engineers. They stopped the project in late February because it was not notified about the discovery.
Now, with every day that passes as construction equipment remains idle, the city is losing $12,000 dollars a day. (Boo frickin hoo)
The Anniston Star reported that to date the city has spent more than 5.9 million dollars on the project and purchase of land.
According also to a report in the Anniston Star, Holstein said:
“We told them there were 24 archaeological sites on that parcel of land, including a temple mound and village areas. The Historical Commission signed off on it.”
This is an issue that should concern not just residents of Oxford or Alabama, or just Native Americans. This should concern and anger decent people everywhere. The total and complete lack of respect shown to the remains of a human being, a proud people and culture are being spit on by Leon Smith and his merry band of thugs.
I even had a exchange in a chat room with someone in Oxford on the issue who stated she was tired of hearing about it, wanted it all to go away and they should, “…tear down the whole thing and build whatever they want….”
Her reasoning was, “This land doesn’t belong to them Indians. It is ours and we can do with it what we please and if they don’t like it, then go home.”
That mad me so mad! Guess what lady (?)…THEY ARE HOME.
Just as this issue was coming to light last year, PBS had a wonderful 5 part series I think it was on the American Indians and the first Europeans to arrive here. It was chilling and eye opening.
The history books I studied while in school made it all seem so nice and polite. The Indians lived here, we arrived, they helped us, we helped them, we traded, we bought their land, they moved. Oh sure there were a few fights and wars, but……
The history books didn’t talk about the treaties that were broken or the way they were treated in their own county.
Leon Smith has been the mayor of Oxford for over 20 years. No doubt in that time he has done much for the city, moved it forward and put it on the map as the place to be, live and go in Calhoun County. They call him, “King Leon”. Seems like now he is starting to believe it.
There are several videos on Youtube dedicated to this topic.
CITY OF OXFORD:
145 HAMRIC DRIVE EAST
PO BOX 3382
OXFORD,ALABAMA 36203
VISIT THE CITY OF OXFORD PAGE ON THE WEB. THERE IS FORM ON THE CONTACT PAGE WHERE YOU CAN SEND AN EMAIL.
